MARION COUNTY, Fla. — Ronald Exantus, 42, who fatally stabbed a sleeping 6-year-old boy in 2015, was arrested Thursday in Marion County, Florida, for allegedly violating parole by failing to register as a convicted felon within 48 hours of arriving in the state. He is set to be extradited back to Kentucky.
Exantus was released last week from a Kentucky prison after serving eight years of a 20-year sentence under a 2012 law mandating “mandatory reentry supervision” for felons.
In December 2015, Exantus entered an unlocked home in Versailles, Kentucky, stabbed 6-year-old Logan Tipton to death with a butcher knife, and attacked two of Logan’s sisters and their father. A jury acquitted him of capital murder and first-degree burglary by reason of insanity in 2018 but convicted him of two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault.
Public and official reaction:
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Lt. Paul Bloom (Marion County Sheriff’s Office) condemned the release as “overwhelmingly evil.”
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Kentucky’s decision, calling it “shocking” that Exantus served only a fraction of his sentence.
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said federal officials are reviewing the case.
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Exantus’ former attorneys highlighted his schizophrenia and rehabilitation efforts in prison, noting the legal early release was based on good time, work credits, and educational programs.
Following the release, Kentucky Parole Board members reported death threats and leaked home addresses, prompting investigations by Kentucky State Police and the FBI.
Exantus remains held without bond at the Marion County Jail pending extradition to Kentucky.
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